Top 12 Doctor Who Episodes

I finally caught myself up on one of my all-time favorite TV shows, one of my early loves, one of my oldest obsessions… Doctor Who. After I finished, I began rewatching and reevaluating some of the old episodes and reminded myself of why I loved it in the first place (because I did sort of fall out of love with it for a bit). As I did that, I created a list. But not a top ten list... a top 12! Because that's what Doctor we're on now :)

(If you don't know what Doctor Who is, you can check out my brief explanation blog post I wrote when there were only eleven Doctors HERE, but the information still stands)

Oh yes, this has been long LONG overdue. So here we go (caution, there may be minor spoilers):

12) The Christmas Invasion- TENTH DOCTOR

The Doctor has just regenerated and manages to land the TARDIS back on earth Christmas day only just before he collapses and falls into a coma. Meanwhile, a space probe sent out by scientists to explore Mars is intercepted by an aggressive alien race who plans to invade Earth and sell the population into slavery. With the Doctor out of commission, Rose and the new prime minister attempt to sort out the mess and pacify the aliens.

I have a certain fondness for this one. I don't really know why. It's not much better than a lot of other ones plus the Doctor is absent for 80% of it (and he's the main selling point of the show). I think it's just when the Doctor does finally show up, it's really good. I mean, we've grown attached to the ninth Doctor-- Christopher Eccleston's Doctor-- and suddenly he's gone and we've got… well, David Tennant. The way he establishes himself is so brilliant, funny, and impacting without being overly powerful and emotional (like it tended to get with later regeneration establishment scenes). You just watch him perform and you think "Yes! That is the Doctor!". One of my favorite bits, the Lion King bit. You really have to watch it to fully appreciate it.
Also, it is interesting to see that the TARDIS and the Doctor are linked in the respect that the TARDIS is out of commission when he is. And it was nice to see Harriet Jones again, also the first mention of Torchwood.

11) Smith and Jones- TENTH DOCTOR

An entire hospital is uprooted from its place and taken to the moon. Strange alien police thugs arrive and begin scanning the patients and staff, searching for a non-human life form. Fortunately or unfortunately, the Doctor had checked into the hospital the day before and is accompanied by a doctor-in-training, Martha Jones, to find the hiding alien before the air runs out, the criminal is not found and the entire hospital is declared guilty, and/or before the Doctor himself is targeted.

I often recommend this episode to people who are first watching the show. It literally has everything in it and explains everything (at least the basic stuff); Who and what the Doctor is, what he does, the TARDIS, the sonic screwdriver, the basic gist of how an episode goes, who a companion is, etc. The plot is entertaining enough too. Lots of people give Martha grief for some reason, but I quite like her.
It's the first time we see the Judoon who come up several times in the future. It's interesting because they're not really bad guys, they're just doing their job, but it becomes a threat when the real bad guy can't be found.  There's a good amount of suspense, but it's not one of the overly dramatic ones where the Doctor gives a big speech about what he's going to do or whatever. In fact, the way he gets them out of the mess is really quite clever. I wish there were more episodes like this. Suspenseful and fun, but not too dramatic and makes you question your humanity and morals at every turn.

10) Nightmare in Silver- ELEVENTH DOCTOR

The Doctor takes Clara and the children she watches to a space amusement park only to find it long-since abandoned and destroyed. Soldiers based there tell them of the war against the Cybermen and how they were wiped out. However, dormant Cyber bugs latch onto the children and begin to assimilate them. Cyber bugs come for the Doctor too, planning to make him the Cyber-planner, but he fights back. He makes a deal with the Cyber-planner, Mr. Clever, that whomever wins a game of chess takes over his mind and can do what they want. Meanwhile, supposedly dead Cybermen reawaken and begin attacking the soldiers and Clara.

Now, I find the plot to be a little complicated (certainly not the most complicated that Doctor Who has ever come up with. Not by a long shot), but it was still engaging. What really sold it for me was Matt Smith's performance. *slow claps* The way he switched between the Doctor and Mr. Clever was so subtle and so dramatic at the same time. The way the internal struggle was portrayed with them talking to each other was brilliant. Then showing the one body changing posture and voice as the two minds switched back and forth. Yes! The performance is so good! Matt's voice just goes colder and his eyes squint up when he's Mr. Clever. You can hardly tell… But you can! It's so subtle, but it's so dramatic! It's difficult to explain. And I loved their chess game too. It made it all the more intense. 

9) The Husbands of River Song- TWELFTH DOCTOR

The Doctor is mistaken for a surgeon who is called to remove a diamond from a cybertronic king's head. When he arrives, he finds River who has married the king and plans to have the Doctor simply chop off the king's head rather than surgically remove the diamond. She fails to recognize the Doctor and he becomes tangled up in her scheme to escape the king's murderous cybertronic body and sell the diamond.

I just love the Doctor and River's interactions in this. Even when River doesn't know it's him, it's so sweet and so fantastic. I mean, nothing against Matt Smith because he is a doll and I love him, but really this couple seemed a lot more natural and well… together. Eleven and River were cute and everything, but they were a lot less… I don't know. Like it was more physical and shell-like. Twelve and River, when they're together, you could just feel that they were a team and that they cared for each other. (Not hating on Eleven/River because they did have their moments). The way the Doctor looks at her! *puts hand over heart* How can you say that he doesn't love her back? I will fight you!
I love jealous Doctor. Ha! And of course, River up to her usual antics. It's all a pleasure and a joy.

8) The Lodger- ELEVENTH DOCTOR

When the TARDIS struggles to land and the Doctor is expelled from it with Amy inside, he becomes flatmates with a fellow, Craig, who lives near the problem. The Doctor attempts to live as a normal person while simultaneously investigating what is stopping his ship from landing… which seems to be coming from the flat above Craig's.

Such a funny episode! The Doctor trying to be normal. You can imagine. When he stumbles out of the shower and attacks with the toothbrush XD Plus James Cordon as Craig! The two actors play off each other so well, I love it so much. It's not a particularly interesting story in respects to many others, but I love the characters, the dialogue, the acting, and everything.
(Also, check out Closing Time, when the Doctor pops back in on Craig again. It was SO close to making the list)

7) Silence in the Library/Forest of the Dead- TENTH DOCTOR

The Doctor receives a mysterious message on the psychic paper telling him to come to the largest library in the universe. When they arrive, they find it completely empty, but are soon joined by a team of archeologists who have come to investigate the library's vacancy. What happened to everyone? And what is in the shadows?

Easily one of the scariest monsters in Doctor Who, the Vashta Narada. I thought I was over it, I've seen this episode(s) a thousand times years ago, but I watched it the other night and then had to go downstairs and I got really uneasy being in the dark. It's interesting how the episode(s) play out because you're just so confused for the large majority of the time. Like who the heck is that little girl? What's she got to do with the library? Where in tarnation is Donna at? And so on. Very Steven Moffat-ish. Now that I'm over the initial frustration of it, I appreciate the cleverness of it all. I'm also impressed by the monster. Doctor Who always tries to create monsters out of nothing, fears everybody has, or whatever and sometimes it falls right on its face (really? Eye booger monsters? Give me a break!). But this one took a fear that pretty much everyone has at some point (fear of the dark) and turned it into something even worse and almost believable.
Then of course, there's the introduction of River Song. Oh, if only we knew then all the complicated plots and twists that would soon follow.

6) Time Heist- TWELFTH DOCTOR

The Doctor and Clara awaken at a table with two other people and a recording of each of them saying that they agreed to a memory wipe. They are then briefed on an unbreakable bank which they have apparently agreed to break into with an unknown target. Among many threats in the bank, the greatest is the Teller, a telepathic sort of sniffer-dog alien who can read guilt and kill you by melting your brain.

It's just a very entertaining plot. A sort of Now You See Me type episode. These four people have absolutely no idea why they're breaking into this supposedly unbreakable bank, because the less they know, the safer it is since the Teller reads guilt. It's very intense. I like how it's a group effort with everyone's separate abilities combined. Also the mysterious "Architect" who's present all along the way, helping them. It's suspenseful and engaging. I just really enjoyed it.

5) Human Nature/The Family of Blood- TENTH DOCTOR

John Smith is a school teacher at an all boys boarding school in the early 1900's. He is a little bit clumsy and awkward, but still quite brilliant. He fancies the school nurse and is tended to by a maid, Martha. He spends a lot of his time writing down his strange dreams into stories; that he is a time traveling alien who visits other worlds and saves lives. 

This one... You're just sitting there like "What is going on?". Because this guy looks like the Doctor, but he's not acting like the Doctor. Is he pretending? Is it a dream? Martha is there and she almost seems to know what's going on. But WHAT is going on!?
And when you find out what is actually happening and that choice has to be made… oh! Your heart is just torn to pieces! Seriously!

4) The Empty Child/The Doctor Dances- NINTH DOCTOR

The Doctor and Rose land in 1940's London and become separated. The Doctor comes across scavenging orphans. They all are afraid of a certain little boy wearing a gas mask and calling for his mummy. The Doctor is instructed to not let the boy touch him. Meanwhile Rose meets a charming Time Agent from the future, Captain Jack Harkness, who believes they are there to buy his product.

Another classic Doctor Who episode. "Are you my mummy?" Yeah, say that to a Whovian, it'll send them running. I like watching everything play out and then come together in the end. Just all the subtle little things in the beginning that you wouldn't think are important, but then end up being key plot points.
Also, the introduction of Captain Jack Harkness ("and who are you?" XP). I wish he'd come back, I loved him. Then, of course, Nine had to be on my list somewhere! People who skip him should be ashamed of themselves and their parents for having them!

3) The Doctor's Wife- ELEVENTH DOCTOR

The Doctor is summoned to the outer reaches of the universe by a distress beacon of the Time Lords. Once arrived, the TARDIS matrix dies. While investigating, they meet the inhabitants; the Patchwork People and their master, House- the intelligence. One of the Patchwork people is particularly drawn to the Doctor, calling him her "thief". She is declared mad by the others and locked away. Meanwhile, the Doctor investigates and realizes he has been tricked. House was after the TARDIS, wanting to devour it. However, it is impossible to devour it with the matrix inside, but since it's gone, House can get in. But TARDIS matrixes can't be killed so therefore was removed… so where has it gone?

I ship the Doctor/TARDIS so hard, it's not even funny! Yes, that may sound weird to some people, but it is alive after all. And besides, she's always there for him, she takes care of him, she dies when he does, when he's upset then she's upset, he talks to her and tells her his deepest secrets and fears. In the end, after everyone else is gone, it's always just the two of them. (Also, can I just say, in the episode The Husbands of River Song, the TARDIS knew he was upset so she projected foam antlers on top of his head in an attempt to cheer him up XD). In this episode, they finally get to speak with one another. It is so glorious! We learn more about when the Doctor first stole her and what the TARDIS is actually thinking and how she feels about the Doctor (and the other way around). I love this episode so much!
And as a side note, Rory and Amy's trippy experience in the House-inhabited TARDIS is kinda interesting too.

2) The Day of the Doctor- EIGHT AND A HALF, TENTH, AND ELEVENTH DOCTOR

In the midst of the Time War, the Doctor steals a weapon of mass destruction, the Moment, intending to use it to destroy the entire race of Daleks and Time Lords. The Moment speaks to him and attempts to talk him out of it. It shows him his future. He meets the Tenth and Eleventh Doctors as they come together to figure out the meaning of a Gallifreyan painting, stop an alien invasion, and perhaps even prevent the total genocide of two races.

The 50th anniversary special. Of course it was going to be absolutely, breathtakingly superb! The drama, the mystery, the humor, the fun! Everything you love about Doctor Who intensified by 50! ;P Obviously the best part was having three doctors together and interacting with each other. I loved seeing David Tennant again (he was my Doctor after all). And John Hurt was excellent as the forgotten Doctor. I thought for sure he would be dark and gritty, but he was upbeat and clever just like the other two. Eleven and Ten together was just too good to be true! Ah, they were all so funny together. I loved their bantering. Because they are all the same person. How would you cope if you met yourself? (10:"You've done this before. What happens next?" 11:"I don't remember." 10:"How do you not remember this?" 11:"Oi, it's not my fault. You're obviously not paying enough attention!"). The climax! Oh! And of course, that twist ending!
(Yes, that is the Eighth Doctor in the picture, he was present in a minisode prequel The Night of the Doctor)

1) Blink- TENTH

"Don't turn your back, don't look away, and don't blink! Good luck."

Sally Sparrow begins coming across strange messages addressed from the Doctor which predict her every move and instructing her on how to avoid danger. She meets up with strange angel statues that seem to move every time she looks away. She teams up with her friend's brother who has come across an old recording of the Doctor which has been hidden on several random DVDs. They learn that the statues are not statues at all and are actually monsters that will send them back in time if they're touched. However, they can only move when you're not looking, even in the blink of an eye. The Doctor was touched and is stuck in the 60's so needs Sally's help to send him his TARDIS. 

Alright, fellow Whovians, you all knew this was coming. This is pretty much the universally-agreed-upon best Doctor Who episode ever made. And with good reason. I promise you, if you haven't seen the show and you watch this episode, then don't like it… you will not like the rest of the show.
The Doctor himself is barely even present for like 95% of the episode, but his presence is around in messages, videos, and such. The episode really shows you the magic of time travel and how it can be used to an advantage when tweaked properly. It's so cool how all the messages show up exactly on time, not just from the Doctor, but from the Angel's victims. Those Angels are FREAKY! Hands down, the scariest Doctor Who monster!

Talents

For some reason, when people find something impressive about you, they'll express it to you by saying, "wow, I wish I had such natural talent" or "you definitely take after your parents". Which, alright, I see what they're trying to do, but honestly, that just sort of takes away from all the hard work that goes into what was done.

For example, I make movies. Just stupid little home videos mostly, but over the years I have come to be very familiar with editing, music, transitions, appropriate titles, framing, and so on. I'm no professional, but I'd consider myself very knowledgable. I have an entire YouTube channel filled with my work. Every once in a while, my dad has to make a video for church, work, or whatever, and always asks for my advice on something because I have a lot more experience in the area. (Of course he doesn't always listen to my tips, but…). So then people see his videos and think "wow, that was really great!". Cut to later and I'm supposed to make a video for somebody. I present the video and someone comments, "you definitely take after your dad". No, no, no! I know they are not trying to offend, but the issue here is that I am the one who has been putting so much work into making videos over the years and just because my dad's work is put in the spotlight more often, it is assumed that he has the talent and I "take after him". No! I work hard at developing my talents. In fact, he often asks ME for advice! And not to say that he doesn't have talent, but honestly. We're two separate talents! Sorry, I'm not here to get riled up, just to point out a flaw.

The other common response to talents is "I wish I had such natural abilities". Again, it's not meant as an offense, but it does take away some of the idea that I haven't worked hard at what I do. For example, my artwork. Art is hard even for people who are "naturally" good at it. And I get it, some people are better at it than others. Just like some people are better at math than others. I can't do math to save my life, but I don't consider it a "natural ability". When someone is good at something, even if seems to come easily to them, they still have to work hard at it on some level. I am a "natural" artist. However, I have taken several art classes over the years. I have sat through boring lectures on art history, I have memorized the color wheel, I have learned the concepts of depth perception, I've learned how shadows work when light falls on an object, I've learned how to mix colors, I've learned to use different art mediums, and so much more. It was not easy! I started out like anybody else did: as a three-year-old with a box of crayons and scrap paper scribbling random shapes. I just progressed as I got older because I love to draw. Honestly, I didn't produce anything truly impressive until high school when I began taking art classes.

Alright, my ranting is over. I do appreciate compliments and I will take what I can get. But I'm just putting this out there to help people become aware. I know it's hard to come up with words to express when you're just so impressed with something, and usually those are the two things that come to your mind and you think "yes, that sounds good". But if you can help yourself, try to just stick to "that is amazing/impressive/awesome" or something of the like. I may be the only one with this opinion, so you probably don't have to worry TOO much, but if you're looking for small ways to improve yourself, I'd say this is one way to go.